Most master’s-level graduate degrees at CDM are spilt into several phases of study:
The Prerequisite Phase is a series of courses that allows students from various academic backgrounds to pick up the skills and education that they will need to complete the graduate program of their choice. All or part of the Prerequisite Phase may be waived if a student has the equivalent academic background. Students with practical experience may complete a Graduate Assessment Examination (GAE) to show competency in a prerequisite.
The Foundation and/or Core Knowledge Phases focus on the theoretical foundations and fundamental skills of the discipline. These are required courses in the degree and provide the basis for more advanced study.
In the Advanced Phase, students pursue a greater breadth and depth of study though the completion of required and elective courses.
Capstone, Thesis or Studios are the culminating project of the degree. These are courses to be taken at the end of the degree and are designed to bring together all of the skills and knowledge that students have gained throughout their course of study.